Recruiting – We do it all the time!

Some of you may be saying, “Why read about recruiting? I don’t own a business or am not in a position to hire people.” I encourage you to widen your perspective about this topic. This need not be a topic exclusive to business. Aren’t we recruiting when we look for someone to fix our plumbing, or car or purchase insurance? And what about looking for friends, a special person in our life or wanting to find an opportunity to volunteer in the community. Isn’t that recruiting of its own kind?

Looking within and without: As you seek the right person(s), consider folks that are part of the team, now or in the past. A team member may want to move into a different role or they may know of a friend, family member or past associate. Today there are many places and resources to explore. Here are a few from The Big Book of HR: “Networking, former employees who left or were laid off, retirees, colleges, churches, passive or non-active applicants.” The phone book yellow pages, on-line or hard-copy, are always a great place to spark ideas for anything you want to find. Use your local media options as well as newsletters of organizations to which your team members belong. Think local and global.

How can we find the “right” team member? Do your homework, which includes having a clear, accurate and complete job description. I have been amazed by how many businesses have outdated, non-existing or job descriptions for only a few of their employees. Consider carefully the specific skills and experience that are required. Remember attitude and interest are important. The right person will be aligned with the things that matter like values, principles and priorities. I’ll say more about “fit” next week. As you are searching for a new hire or that special person, be open to expanding the scope of opportunities that you had not considered before.

How can we afford to do this? Instead, consider the question, “Can we afford not to find the right person that meets our needs?” You may well need to pay the full price to fill your requirements. Here are some options to consider at a lower cost: part time; short-term contracts; on-call team members; retirees; internships; apprenticeships, shared employment, flex-time.  Think out-of-the-box regarding how to fulfill the needs you have.

Mitchell and Gamlem, in the book mentioned above, give a list of areas regarding job analysis: “job purpose, work environment, duties and responsibilities, knowledge, skills and abilities required to succeed in the position, where in the organizational structure this position fits, and performance criteria.”

And in personal “recruiting” for a special individual in your life. How about making a check list of values and relationship wishes you are desiring? In my search for a life partner, I created a set of 3x5 cards listing my wants, and it worked!

Bernie Linnartz

This article first appeared in Taos News on March 24, 2016. Special thanks to Bernie Linnartz for his series on managing human resources based on The Big Book of HR.

Leading from Any Chair

I recently attended a concert performed by the Academy of St. Martin-in-the Fields with the very talented violinist Joshua Bell. As the orchestra was warming up, I noticed that there was no podium for the conductor and when Joshua came out, he sat in the chair where the first violinist usually sits in the orchestra.  From time to time, he would use his bow to conduct but mostly he was playing as a member of the orchestra.  He did stand up to play a memorable solo but for most of the time he was seated as a member of the orchestra.  It was obvious that the musicians knew what they were supposed to do and did it with amazing perfection.  Joshua Bell got them started but it was obvious that each member of the orchestra knew his or her part and the result was beautiful music!

This performance reminded me of another conductor I’d heard speak several years ago at a conference—Benjamin Zander.   He and his wife, Rosamund Stone Zander wrote a book titled, “The Art of Possibility—Transforming Professional and Personal Life.”  One chapter is titled, Leading from Any Chair, and in it, Benjamin Zander says, “I had been conducting for nearly twenty years when it suddenly dawned on me that the conductor of an orchestra does not make a sound. His picture may appear on the cover of the CD in various dramatic poses, but his true power derives from his ability to make others powerful.”

This got me to thinking about what would happen in our businesses if leaders realized that they are not the ones who, in and of themselves, make everything happen. So many leaders I encounter in my consulting practice feel as if they have to be all knowing and all powerful to their people.  They miss the benefits that come from sitting down or stepping back and letting one of their employees take the lead.

Of course, to do this takes courage and strength—it is certainly not a sign of weakness to let someone on the team take the lead on a project but it seems to me that many leaders don’t give their employees the chance to take the lead from time to time.  How do we expect our people to learn and grow if we’re always telling them what to do and how to do it?  What results could we expect to see if we adopted a “lead from any chair” philosophy?

In order to have a “conductorless ensemble,” you’ll need to have talented and empowered employees.  You’ll need to trust that when you sit down or step back that they’ll know what’s expected of them to succeed.  Benjamin Zander thinks the idea of leading from any chair is a way to practice the art of possibility and I saw this in action on the stage with Joshua Bell and the orchestra.

I challenge you to give this a try in your organization and let us know how it works for you!

Are Your Expectations Clear?

A common dilemma for many CEOs is whether their team members and the firm’s associates are giving them honest feedback or merely telling them what they want to hear. Are major problems being covered up? Are major problems being solved without making the CEO aware that there was a problem? Are major problems being brought to his attention, and if not, why not?

Masking or hiding issues from a leader can be the cause of embarrassment for her at the very least, or result in a major conflict. Yes, associates should be empowered to take on tough issues and solve them on their own, but they should also be held accountable for letting the leaders know what’s going on. The best way to avoid this dilemma – foster a culture of open communication. In organizations where the leadership is courageous, it’s not unusual to have a “speak-up” culture where everyone embrace accountability – holding themselves and each other accountable for actions or inactions that are counterproductive to the team and the organization.

Consider the CEO who is very approachable. He walks around, talks with people in all departments and asks “What can I do better?” He’s vulnerable and invites feedback. He expects that his leadership team members do the same. There are no formal 360 evaluations. Rather there is honest feedback and dialogue that is listened to and acted upon.

How does this CEO foster courageous leadership in his organization? First, and most importantly, he builds trust. One way he accomplishes this is to take the feedback he receives seriously. If it’s something that can be acted upon, he does so quickly. If a team member makes a suggestion that can’t be implemented, he’ll explain why. He never dismisses suggestions nor makes other people feel vulnerable.

He also communicates early and often. He lets people know what their roles entail, how each role supports the organization’s goals and values, what successful performance looks like including outputs and results, and how successful performance positively impacts the organization.

This CEO’s communication style is direct. When he discusses expectations, he describes exactly what needs to happen and why. “Our goal is to increase sales by 30% in the coming fiscal year with 15% coming from existing markets and an additional 15% from new markets. Sales will have to work closely with marketing to develop a plan for expansion. That plan must be in place 45 days before the fiscal year begins.” His expectations are precise and realistic. The deadline is clear and the actions are essential and manageable. People know where they stand and what they have to do.

When expectations are clear, the likelihood of conflict arising diminishes. Rather than waste time and energy being confused and frustrated, employees have a clear path to follow. They know that they can and are expected to bring unforeseen issues to anyone in management as early as possible so adjustments can be made. Embedded in the organization’s values are trust and respect for all. They achieve this by expecting active employee participation in issues, mutual problem solving and goal setting, and transparency. People are not afraid to engage in dialogue, question goals, tasks or expectations, nor ask for clarification.

Our CEO’s open attitude fosters an environment of continued improvement for the employees and for the organization. An open culture that encourages feedback and accountability will engage, motivate and retain good talent – a goal every organization should strive to achieve.

This article originally appeared in the CEO Magazine on October 22, 2015

Graduation Speeches

Every year, I like to read snippets from graduation speeches around the country and the world.  I usually find words of wisdom (and sometimes very funny comments) that make me think. I don’t remember who spoke at my graduations nor a word of what was said. With graduation season upon us, I hope the messages for this year’s graduates are paying more attention, but I doubt it.  Years from now, they may read about something profound that was said at their graduation, but at the time of their commencement ceremony, they’ll be more focused on celebrating the end of their college era and looking forward to embarking on their careers.

Looking back, here are some of the best from 2015 as reported in the June 14, 2015 New York Times:

Tim Cook, CEO of Apple spoke at George Washington University, and said: “Great progress is possible, whatever line of work you choose. There will always be cynics and critics on the sidelines tearing people down, and just as harmful are those people with good intentions who make no contribution at all.  In his letter from the Birmingham jail, Dr. King wrote that our society needed to repent not merely for the hateful words of the bad people, but for the appalling silence of good people.”

“The sidelines are not where you want to live your life. The world needs you in the arena.  There are problems that need to be solved. Injustices that need to be ended. People that are still being persecuted. Diseases still in need of cure. No matter what you do next, the world needs your energy. Your passion. Your impatience with progress. Don’t shrink from risk. And tune out those critics and cynics. History rarely yields to one person, but think, and never forget what happens when it does. That can be you. That should be you. That must be you.”

Katie Couric, Global New Anchor for Yahoo, spoke at the University of Wisconsin, Madison, and said “Don’t wait forever to find your bliss or you may find yourself at 20 living your parents’ basement, eating microwave popcorn and binge-watching reruns of The OC. While it might be nice to have your mom or dad make your favorite casserole or do your laundry, don’t wait too long to get going…  Don’t drift you way through your 20’s. Use every stop along the way as a chance to make an investment in the person you want to become.”

Joseph R. Biden, Vice President, spoke at Yale University and said, “For your generation, there’s an incredible amount of pressure on all of you to succeed, particularly now that you have accomplished so much…”But, resist that temptation to rationalize what others view is the right choice for you, instead of what you feel in your gut is the right choice. That’s your North Star.  Trust it.  Follow it.  You’re incredible group of young women and men.”

These are words to live by and while it’s been a few years since I graduated, I find that these words inspire me to do good things and I hope you feel the same way!